I'm lying here in bed with Benjamin snoring lightly beside me (Chris is recovering from the flu on the couch) and Kennedy in her crib saying 'hi'. It is so hard not to talk to her because that smile just draws me in and makes me want to talk to her. She's been asleep a couple of hours, but woke up and saw me on the laptop and wants to talk. When I tell her to 'go night-night' or lay down, she does lay down, which amazes me.
I was telling Benjamin before bed that I loved him and that he is my Best Boy and he told me that I am his Best Mom. So sweet, that boy... I went a little further tonight and told him that I always wanted to be the best mommy to him and that every night I vow to be a better mom tomorrow. I yearn to yell less, be more patient, take more time to enjoy the little moments. Gosh I hope I can REALLY do those things tomorrow! I was reading a blog post earlier that talked of enjoying those moments and of the pain the poster felt when she thought back to her kids early days and how she often wished the time away (for them to go to bed or for them to just leave her alone). We ALL do that and I don't think it is such a horrible thing every once in a while, but I don't want to wish so much of it away. I hate the feeling of trying to shoo my kids away because I'm trying to clean (you'd never guess that happens if you see my house, which makes it all the worse - I'm not actually accomplishing much!) or want to check my blogs (how absurd is that -- shooing kids away to read about other mommy bloggers' days!). Anyway - I WILL continue to enjoy my kids. I do know that someday they won't beg me to play with them. I'm going to vow to say YES when I'm asked to do something instead of put them off. Benjamin is so patient with me - always taking my 'later' answer at face value without whining about it or calling me on it later if I let him down. Ugh! That makes me tear up to admit how often I put him off. I'm hoping that typing it out here will help me deal with it better in the future.
Some random things I've been meaning to document for a while:
Kennedy is THE BEST nose blower EVER. Benjamin can JUST NOW (almost 6) blow his nose. He's literally never been able to get anything to come out. He could not physically complete a nose blow. Kennedy (now 16 mths) has been doing it WELL for months. She is so funny when she blows her nose into her HAND when she doesn't have a tissue. And she ALWAYS blows when you hold a tissue up --- even when we're just trying to wipe her nose.
Everyone has been a bit snotty in the house this week except Hannah, who was on Spring Break. I've had a stupid cough for a couple of weeks, Benjamin and Kenndy have been snotty/feverish, and Chris must have the flu. Today is the first day in about 4 that he has even been able to stand. I made fun of his moaning for a couple of days (and showed him the 'man cold' video about a man calling the ambulance for a cold and the paramedics making his wife feel bad about not taking his cold seriously -- so funny) but I stopped that a couple of days ago when I realized it was serious.
Benjamin is an AMAZING reader! I have been amazed at his abilities because I didn't expect reading to come so fast - but I just assumed that I didn't know how to put it into context and that this was now standard Kindergarten curriculum. However, I found out that not everyone his age IS reading this well. He is now pulled out a couple of days a week to read with a special reading group with 3 other Kindergarteners to read. I was stopped 3 times on open house night for his teacher, assistant teacher, and reading group leader to tell me what a great job he's doing. I think I've been obnoxiously mentioning to everyone I can since then. I'm just SO happy that school seems to be coming so easy to him. I'd like to think it it genetic because school came easy to both Chris and myself. One of the teachers was amazed because that week he had read the word 'knock' without any prompting from her. She was shocked that he sounded it out and knew that the k was silent. That is MY BOY!! Also, apparently he is one of the best behaved kids in his class. Ms. Donna said he was one of her best (maybe she says that to all parents...). I'm not surprised about that because he was always good in Pre-K and is just usually well behaved in groups and with other adults. He errs on the side of being quiet and a bit timid sometimes. After knowing about this reading progress, I decided that I have a GENIUS on my hands and that he's going to be gifted and ahead of his class in all subjects (I know, it is obnoxious) - so I bought him two workbooks about what every 1st grader should know about Math and Phonics. We've been going through the books and he just GETS it all. It is no struggle for him to understand the concepts whatsoever. Tonight we did FRACTIONS! I know he is only in Kindergarten and it is jumping the gun to assume it will always come this easy, but I feel so blessed that he absorbs things so well because it is NO WORK FOR ME. He brings home a reading workbook a couple of times a week (way beyong SEE DICK RUN type) and just reads right through it - I don't even have to sit down with him. I never asked him to read himself from our books at home because I just assumed that he couldn't read them. So, when I realized his reading skills I've had him read a couple of books out loud every night and he just DOES IT. No problems, no confusion at all. He just reads like it is no big deal. I'm probably making too much of this here -- but I just want to remember how awesome he is now when I look back years from now and I've forgotten what it was like to see him learning like this. I know all stages will have some amazement, but reading is a big one....
That is all for now. I'm going to do my photoshop class homework (class starts Tues). I can' wait to get better at editing photos.
I'm going to do better about posting more often THIS TIME. I have got to do that so I'll have these memories documented!!
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Friday, January 22, 2010
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Alright - I've gotta get better at mosting some memories here. I found a notebook that I'd kept when Benjamin was a baby - only lasted a few weeks - and was amazed that I had no real memory of the things I was reading about. My memory isn't exactly bad, but I don't retain details. This makes me sad to think about because I can't relieve some of the great moments in my kids lives becaue of it. I don't forget big things, but the little things you want to remember don't stick with me. SO -- I'm gonna start writing here regularly so I won't regret not doing it in years.
I spent a lot of yesterday and today trying to clean up around here. I have an idea to turn the small pantry/stairwell into a walk-in pantry and I've gotta get the placed cleaned up so I won't be ashamed for a contractor to come in. Chris says we won't be able to afford one and that we can do it ourselves, but I know how that goes.... we'll still be talking about it next year. I'm ready to go NOW! He's headed out of town for some training tomorrow for a few days and I have started formulating a plan to get a contractor to come look and see if the small job (just tearing down wall/adding floor and 'trap door' so we still have access to basement) can be done in a couple of days. Ideally he'll come home to the work mostly done. I know that sounds devious.....I just know he'd be happy if he saw it done ..... if I could get it done for a few hundred dollars...... (Besides, he's the one who bought me a CAR when I was away for the weekend).
I had a nice weekend holed up in the house because of the cold weather. Chris and Ed went to their boys weekend thing and the kids and I hung out. I did feel pretty guilty because Benjamin kept wanting to PLAY and I REALLY wanted to accomplish some cleaning/organizing in the house. Of course, Kennedy's main goal is just to get in the way of ANYTHING we do. So -- she follows me to mess up what I clean up and then when I sit down to play Scooby Doo Pop and Race (old school Trouble), she HAS TO keep grabbing board and knocking the pieces everywhere.
I did get the living room cleaned, lots of laundry done, the kids room wardrobes sorted/organized, most of the floors mopped, and the bedroom bookcase re-done, AND hung some pictures on the wall. Not too much considering I had the whole weekend, but I'm happy considering I had goosey girl to handle the whole time.
Kennedy is such a character these days. She puts on a show and DOES NOT STOP when we go to Grandma Scott's on Sundays. Everyone there loves her and just fuels the fire. Elle, Joe, and Benjamin just cannot help themselves from picking her up. The are all told multiple times each time they are together to not pick her up....they stop for a while and then go right back to it. They aren't trying to be bad -- they are just drawn to her and can't help wanting to touch her/pick her up.
Well, these are great memories, but at least I wrote something. Maybe I'll make it back tomorrow.
I spent a lot of yesterday and today trying to clean up around here. I have an idea to turn the small pantry/stairwell into a walk-in pantry and I've gotta get the placed cleaned up so I won't be ashamed for a contractor to come in. Chris says we won't be able to afford one and that we can do it ourselves, but I know how that goes.... we'll still be talking about it next year. I'm ready to go NOW! He's headed out of town for some training tomorrow for a few days and I have started formulating a plan to get a contractor to come look and see if the small job (just tearing down wall/adding floor and 'trap door' so we still have access to basement) can be done in a couple of days. Ideally he'll come home to the work mostly done. I know that sounds devious.....I just know he'd be happy if he saw it done ..... if I could get it done for a few hundred dollars...... (Besides, he's the one who bought me a CAR when I was away for the weekend).
I had a nice weekend holed up in the house because of the cold weather. Chris and Ed went to their boys weekend thing and the kids and I hung out. I did feel pretty guilty because Benjamin kept wanting to PLAY and I REALLY wanted to accomplish some cleaning/organizing in the house. Of course, Kennedy's main goal is just to get in the way of ANYTHING we do. So -- she follows me to mess up what I clean up and then when I sit down to play Scooby Doo Pop and Race (old school Trouble), she HAS TO keep grabbing board and knocking the pieces everywhere.
I did get the living room cleaned, lots of laundry done, the kids room wardrobes sorted/organized, most of the floors mopped, and the bedroom bookcase re-done, AND hung some pictures on the wall. Not too much considering I had the whole weekend, but I'm happy considering I had goosey girl to handle the whole time.
Kennedy is such a character these days. She puts on a show and DOES NOT STOP when we go to Grandma Scott's on Sundays. Everyone there loves her and just fuels the fire. Elle, Joe, and Benjamin just cannot help themselves from picking her up. The are all told multiple times each time they are together to not pick her up....they stop for a while and then go right back to it. They aren't trying to be bad -- they are just drawn to her and can't help wanting to touch her/pick her up.
Well, these are great memories, but at least I wrote something. Maybe I'll make it back tomorrow.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Sherlock
Our dog, Sherlock, died yesterday. I found him on my way down the driveway after dropping Kennedy off at Mom's. I knew the moment I saw him lying there that he was dead because he never sleeps there....he would have run to greet me when I pulled in her driveway. He had no marks on him at all, so I really hope he died of natural causes in his sleep. It is possible that he was hit by a car and then came to lay down and died of internal injuries, but there really were no marks. One of the reasons I hope it was natural is that I feel guilty for letting him outside the night before. He was behind the couch and I heard his tail wagging when I was giving Dudley (other dog) some pizza crust. I remembered the flea/tick issue we are having, so I gave Sherlock some crust and let him outside.... I guess I'll never know if his being inside would have saved him.
Benjamin took it pretty hard when I told him. He asked me why I told him and that he wished I hadn't because he would feel bad if he didn't know. I put on a movie and told him it might take his mind off of it a little bit. He started crying a couple of times during 'Cars' and said he couldn't forget about it. He also said that it was the worst day of his life. Poor baby hasn't lost anyone/anything he has loved before (since he's been conscious enough about life/death to know its permanence.).
This reminds me that something I want to remember.... A couple of months ago Benjamin saw an episode of Oprah about a baby that had died (Elliot) and in the middle of it he burst out into tears for the baby. He then cried a few more times before bed that night about 'the baby that died'. He is pretty sensitive. Just a week before that he was watching "Benjamin Button" with us and started crying because he was sad the baby might not live. My sweet boy!
Benjamin took it pretty hard when I told him. He asked me why I told him and that he wished I hadn't because he would feel bad if he didn't know. I put on a movie and told him it might take his mind off of it a little bit. He started crying a couple of times during 'Cars' and said he couldn't forget about it. He also said that it was the worst day of his life. Poor baby hasn't lost anyone/anything he has loved before (since he's been conscious enough about life/death to know its permanence.).
This reminds me that something I want to remember.... A couple of months ago Benjamin saw an episode of Oprah about a baby that had died (Elliot) and in the middle of it he burst out into tears for the baby. He then cried a few more times before bed that night about 'the baby that died'. He is pretty sensitive. Just a week before that he was watching "Benjamin Button" with us and started crying because he was sad the baby might not live. My sweet boy!
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
9/1/09
Today is Kennedy's 10 month birthday. Crazy how time flies. I want to make sure I record some of my feelings and significant happenings in my kids lives here.
Benjamin started Kindergarten a few weeks ago. On Sunday before his 3rd week, he started coughing and ended up at the Dr. on Monday with pneumonia. He was so pitiful. It was really hard for him to breath. They sent us home with antibiotics, steroids, and a breathing treatment machine. He is much better now -- back at school last Thursday after being out 3 days.
We visited Huntsville for Sophie's 6th birtday party last weekend. Lots of fun with waterslide and pool. Kennedy got in the small pool and was able to walk around a bit. I think some of the other mothers probably looked at me as a bit negligent (not that anyone said anything - I'm just imagining this) because I just let her tumble around a bit since she was able to recover pretty well herself. She would go under and just put her hands down and stand back up. I tend to go with the hands off approach in situations like this. I think part of it is a bit of laziness (just wait until I'm needed and then I'll jump in), a bit of just wanting to make my kids self-sufficient/tough, and a bit of me not being a natural 'nurturing' mom that wants to run to comfort/rescue my kid immediately.
Kennedy began walking at 8 1/2 months -- crazy. Now she is a pro. People are amazed and I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel proud that my kid is so advanced :-). We knew she would be when she was holding her head up on the day she was born!
Benjamin got his first progress report from school yesterday. His teacher, Ms. Donna, said that he was a wonderful student, always trying his best, and that she is proud of him. I read those words to him and told him that I was also proud of him. From the other room he responded that he was proud of himself. It was cute.
More later.
Benjamin started Kindergarten a few weeks ago. On Sunday before his 3rd week, he started coughing and ended up at the Dr. on Monday with pneumonia. He was so pitiful. It was really hard for him to breath. They sent us home with antibiotics, steroids, and a breathing treatment machine. He is much better now -- back at school last Thursday after being out 3 days.
We visited Huntsville for Sophie's 6th birtday party last weekend. Lots of fun with waterslide and pool. Kennedy got in the small pool and was able to walk around a bit. I think some of the other mothers probably looked at me as a bit negligent (not that anyone said anything - I'm just imagining this) because I just let her tumble around a bit since she was able to recover pretty well herself. She would go under and just put her hands down and stand back up. I tend to go with the hands off approach in situations like this. I think part of it is a bit of laziness (just wait until I'm needed and then I'll jump in), a bit of just wanting to make my kids self-sufficient/tough, and a bit of me not being a natural 'nurturing' mom that wants to run to comfort/rescue my kid immediately.
Kennedy began walking at 8 1/2 months -- crazy. Now she is a pro. People are amazed and I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel proud that my kid is so advanced :-). We knew she would be when she was holding her head up on the day she was born!
Benjamin got his first progress report from school yesterday. His teacher, Ms. Donna, said that he was a wonderful student, always trying his best, and that she is proud of him. I read those words to him and told him that I was also proud of him. From the other room he responded that he was proud of himself. It was cute.
More later.
long time
I can't believe I've waited this long to post again. I really want to use this blog as a way to document some memories since I don't have a great memory of regular daily events. In fact, I just read through my other few entries from a year and a half ago and didn't really remember a couple of details. I'm going to do better!
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